Michael D Anestis1, Allison E Bond2, Samantha E Daruwala2, Shelby L Bandel2, Craig J Bryan3. 1. New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey; Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey. Electronic address: mda141@sph.rutgers.edu. 2. School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Given the increase in firearm purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study seeks to determine the extent to which COVID-19 firearm purchasers differ in terms of suicide risk from nonfirearm owners and firearm owners who did not make a purchase during COVID-19. METHODS: Participants (N=3,500) were recruited through Qualtrics Panels to participate in an online survey examining methods for self-protection. ANCOVAs were utilized to assess suicidal ideation. Multivariate ANCOVAs were used to examine firearm storage practices and storage changes during COVID-19. Data were collected in late June and early July 2020, and analyses were conducted in July 2020. RESULTS: Individuals who purchased a firearm during COVID-19 more frequently reported lifetime, past-year, and past-month suicidal ideation than nonfirearm owners and firearm owners who did not make a purchase during COVID-19. COVID-19 purchasers with lifetime ideation were less likely to hide loaded firearms in a closet than those without lifetime ideation. COVID-19 purchasers with past-year or past-month ideation were more likely to use locking devices than COVID-19 purchasers without past-month ideation. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to firearm owners more generally, COVID-19 firearm purchasers appear far more likely to have experienced suicidal ideation and appear less likely to use certain unsafe firearm storage methods but also report a greater number of storage changes during COVID-19 that made firearms less secure. Future research should seek to further understand those who purchased a firearm during COVID-19 and determine ways to increase secure storage among firearm owners.
INTRODUCTION: Given the increase in firearm purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study seeks to determine the extent to which COVID-19 firearm purchasers differ in terms of suicide risk from nonfirearm owners and firearm owners who did not make a purchase during COVID-19. METHODS:Participants (N=3,500) were recruited through Qualtrics Panels to participate in an online survey examining methods for self-protection. ANCOVAs were utilized to assess suicidal ideation. Multivariate ANCOVAs were used to examine firearm storage practices and storage changes during COVID-19. Data were collected in late June and early July 2020, and analyses were conducted in July 2020. RESULTS: Individuals who purchased a firearm during COVID-19 more frequently reported lifetime, past-year, and past-month suicidal ideation than nonfirearm owners and firearm owners who did not make a purchase during COVID-19. COVID-19 purchasers with lifetime ideation were less likely to hide loaded firearms in a closet than those without lifetime ideation. COVID-19 purchasers with past-year or past-month ideation were more likely to use locking devices than COVID-19 purchasers without past-month ideation. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to firearm owners more generally, COVID-19 firearm purchasers appear far more likely to have experienced suicidal ideation and appear less likely to use certain unsafe firearm storage methods but also report a greater number of storage changes during COVID-19 that made firearms less secure. Future research should seek to further understand those who purchased a firearm during COVID-19 and determine ways to increase secure storage among firearm owners.
Authors: Ann John; Julian P T Higgins; David Gunnell; Emily Eyles; Roger T Webb; Chukwudi Okolie; Lena Schmidt; Ella Arensman; Keith Hawton; Rory C O'Connor; Nav Kapur; Paul Moran; Siobhan O'Neill; Luke A McGuiness; Babatunde K Olorisade; Dana Dekel; Catherine Macleod-Hall; Hung-Yuan Cheng Journal: F1000Res Date: 2020-09-04
Authors: Kathleen M O'Neill; James Dodington; Marcie Gawel; Kevin Borrup; David S Shapiro; Jonathan Gates; Shea Gregg; Robert D Becher Journal: Am J Surg Date: 2022-10-07 Impact factor: 3.125